* * *

Despite acting nonchalantly, the mental shock Violet had suffered couldn’t possibly disappear overnight.

While money could heal physical wounds and fatigue, the mind was a different matter.

Even though she said she was fine, Violet couldn’t shake off the feeling of fatigue while receiving imperial treatment in the palace.

They used every medical technique to treat the wound on her neck, leaving only a faint trace.

If one didn’t look closely, it wouldn’t be visible, and it wouldn’t affect her daily life.

Since she had been unconscious for a short time, Violet spent that time, bored out of her mind, until the end of the hunting competition.

The competition concluded without further incidents.

Despite the mental fatigue and boredom, Violet declared her intention to return to the site of the competition.

And despite the maids and servants’ protests, the crown prince, having heard of it from elsewhere, permitted it saying, ‘Let her do as she wishes.’

After receiving such lavish treatment, Violet returned just in time for the closing ceremony of the hunting competition.

Cairn was not there. Violet chalked it up to the fact that he had gotten injured.

Aldin was among the favorites to win, but due to the kidnapping commotion, it seemed he had unfortunately settled for second place.

The winner was a stranger to Violet. Not so much completely unknown, but rather not an acquaintance.

The hunting competition concluded with the winner dedicating the trophy to their lover of three years.

Everyone was conscious of Violet’s presence, given that she had disappeared and reappeared amidst the commotion. Even so, there was no overt chatter following after her.

The atmosphere was subtly subdued, perhaps controlled by the crown prince.

Violet, pretending not to notice the glances thrown her way, found Roen. He looked more haggard than Violet, who had been kidnapped. She approached him, or rather, intended to.

“Where have you been?”

She would have, had someone not stopped her. Upon seeing a small, doll-like girl, half a head shorter than her, Violet grimaced.

She was too tired to deal with Aileen at that moment. Violet wore a listless expression. Aileen, now certain that Violet didn’t care about her at all, spoke in an even more displeased tone, audible only to Violet.

“Hmph. You must really dislike me. But it’s useless. Everything you have is mine.”

How truly childish.

Violet completely ignored Aileen’s words, letting them go in one ear and out the other.

Nonetheless, Aileen continued to chatter, but Violet didn’t register a word. There were enough things besides Aileen to complicate Violet’s thoughts at that moment.

“Yes, yes. I see.”

“What’s with that half-hearted attitude?!”

Aileen responded indignantly to Violet’s answer.

Both had kept their voices low enough to not be heard over the noisy award ceremony.

Meanwhile, someone was watching them with an odd gaze.

When Violet glanced sideways, she noticed Lady Tolofia quietly observing them, but her focus was particularly on Aileen.

That’s strange. Violet dismissed it with a thought of possible animosity.

“Oh, come to think of it, Aileen. Aren’t you officially enrolled at an academy abroad? You came here without the Duke’s permission. So, don’t expect any support from House Everett.”

This was the only thing Violet responded to properly. Like brushing off an annoying nuisance, she spoke dryly.

Aileen started to bristle in fury again, but by then, Violet had already moved far away.

* * *

The eventful hunting competition came to an end. For the first time that day, Violet saw Roen half out of his mind.

Outwardly, he was smiling and congratulating the winner. But he couldn’t completely hide his turmoil.

Cairn, the third son of the House of Everett, had been seriously injured but his life was not in danger. Unlike Violet, who received treatment at the palace, he refused the treatment and stayed an extra day after the competition ended.

When Cairn conveyed this decision, Roen blankly stared for a while before absent-mindedly responding, ‘Huh? Huh. Alright…’

Consequently, the carriage ride back home was filled with silence.

Roen, who usually made light-hearted jokes, just stared blankly at the floor of the carriage. Violet thought to herself, ‘He’s bound to snap soon.’

Although he couldn’t make sound judgments at this moment, the moment Roen would come to his senses, he would definitely seek out those who had tried to kidnap Violet and make them pay.

Even if it involved foreign organizations and could lead to diplomatic issues, he would find a way to vent his frustrations.

Thus, the hunting season ended as they returned home.

Cairn arrived a day later than the others after receiving treatment from the imperial physicians, and at that, he returned in high spirits. He seemed the same as usual but was somehow more subdued.

The relationship between Cairn and Violet became ambiguous after that day. Violet did not initiate conversation with Cairn, and likewise, he did not approach her.

It would have been easier if they had acted as they always did, but since this change occurred after the incident, Violet was the one who felt uncomfortable.

She knew her younger brother had saved her life. She was aware he wasn’t just apologizing with words.

And she also knew that, as a matter of human decency, she should at least thank him… but it felt awkward to initiate conversation right after being angry with him.